


Sweet Simplicity

by floof



Series: Sastiel Love Week 2020 Fics [6]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:41:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23594761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/floof/pseuds/floof
Summary: A look in on life in the bunker, when there's no cases and no end of the world hurtling towards them. For once.For the prompt: Domestic Fic, Sastiel Love Week 2020
Relationships: Castiel/Sam Winchester
Series: Sastiel Love Week 2020 Fics [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1691722
Comments: 2
Kudos: 33
Collections: Sastiel Love Week 2020





	Sweet Simplicity

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks Star for the beta :*

There's no set list of chores in the bunker. Which suits its inhabitants just fine.

Sometimes, Castiel considers himself one of them. He's staying at bunker more often than not, as of late. In the past few years, often without wishing so, Dean's been gone for weeks or months at a time, and well.

Sam doesn't do well on his own. Neither does Castiel, truly.

It isn't like there's a place in heaven for him, not anymore. What that means when his Winchesters die, he chooses not to think about. They won't be leaving the earth any time soon if he has anything to say about it.

And he does. Loudly, and frequently.

Nodding at Dean when he says he's going out, Castiel glances at Sam, curious. He gets a nod in return. They don't hide their relationship, not exactly, but they do tend to hold back on the 'pda' as Sam puts it, when Dean's around.

Dean says he doesn't mind, and Castiel knows it to be true, but neither of them want Dean to feel lonely. That, and the two of them enjoy their private time together. Rare as it may be.

It's Dean who does most of the cooking. Sam can arrange a sandwich well enough, as can Castiel; though he doesn't need to eat. They both handle the dishes, side by side, Sam with his hands in the soapy water as he passes Castiel dishes to dry.

There was a time where Castiel could snap his fingers, and everything would be clean. If he truly wished it, he could do so now. Waste of grace be damned.

But as Sam smiles at him, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, Castiel finds himself smiling back. This isn't how most of their dates go, if this can even be called a date.

No monster to slay, no world ending catastrophe to avert; no brother to save for both of them.

“We don't get a lot of quiet moments, huh?” It's Sam who puts words to both their thoughts.

“We really don't.” Castiel runs a towel along a frying pan, then sets it on the counter for later. He'd only made the mistake of putting something away when he didn't know where it went once. 

For someone who claims to be a mans man, Dean cares a lot about the order of 'his' kitchen. Of course, that makes him recall how last time Dean said that, Sam had teased Dean over what a 'man's man' could mean. And how, if anything, Sam was the 'mans man' among them. Dean had argued back Castiel wasn't really a man, which had lead to even more unrelated arguments.

The memory makes him chuckle. It was pointless, and infuriating, but to see his best friend and lover so relaxed and at peace had brought Castiel much of the same.

“What's got you in such a good mood?” Sam doesn't seem to be complaining though. He only pauses in his scrubbing to arch a brow in Castiel's direction, before shrugging and going back to the dirty dish. 

“It's... nice, I suppose.” Castiel shrugs himself, and takes another dish to dry. He knows where this one goes, so puts it up. The clatter of porcelain on porcelain soothes him in a way he can't describe.

“Mmm... I think I get it.” Sam pulls the plug on the drain, rinses off the final dish from dinner, then steals Castiels towel. As well as a quick kiss. 

“Do you?” Castiel leans back against the counter to watch Sam. “That would be quite the accomplishment, when I'm not sure I understand myself.”

“Yeah. This place... well, it still doesn't feel like home. Not all the time. But moments like this? It's what I craved growing up. Maybe I wouldn't have picked an underground bunker, surrounded by all the supernatural lore I could ever dream of, but...” Sam looks around, nods once, and grins. “Times like this? Here, with you, and Dean, and our friends, it's... It reminds me of... the junkyard. Singer Salvage. The Roadhouse, to...”

Sam looks melancholy for a moment, before letting out a sigh tinged with bittersweet regret. “That probably doesn't make a lot of sense, huh?”

“While it's not the same for me, I think I get it.” Castiel's hand twitches, his grace calling for him to take Sam in his arms and ease his wounds. But he knows these aren't the kind he can heal. “For me, it's more... I enjoy the sense of order doing chores with you brings me.”

“Even though it's cleaning up our mess, Cas? I mean, you didn't even eat, but you're still here helping me wash up.” Sam offers him a bemused look. “Cas, you're so weird.”

“I agree. After all, I love you.” He says it stone-faced, the corners of his lips only twitching when Sam snorts.

“Hey!” Sam's not really upset, but there are appearances to keep, even when it's only the two of them.

Castiel dodges a telegraphed punch from Sam, grinning himself. When Sam tries again, he catches his fist, and brings it up to his lips to place a kiss on Sam's soap scented skin. 

“You felt safe at those places, correct? With Ellen, or with Bobby... It wasn't what you wanted, but it was safety, family... love. Contentment, if nothing else. As I understand it, that's all anyone really wants. That's what it means to be human...” 

He's been unable to go up to heaven himself to make sure, and Castiel was never as close to Sam's adoptive father as the man himself, but Castiel spares a moment to think of Bobby Singer. He hopes, more than prays, that whatever happened to the man after he saw him last, he's at peace.

“I don't know if that's what it means to be human... but it's as close to happiness as I'm gonna get.” 

“Sam-”

“No, don't. It's okay, Cas.” Sam gently pulls his hand away from Castiels, and brings it up to rub sheepishly against the back of his neck. “Things aren't that bad anymore. I've got you, I've got Dean, and so what if I'm still a hunter? That's... okay. It was always going to be this way. Not sure I'd change a thing, you know?”

Castiel's not sure he believes that, and he knows Sam doesn't either. But there's no point in thinking of it. He only nods in reply.

“C'mon, enough of this. We've got a few hours 'til Dean comes back, how about we finish watching that series we started last week?”

“I'll start the popcorn.” 

Sam laughs at him, says something about Castiel not needing to eat again. Castiel's too focused on Sam's smile to really take it in.

**Author's Note:**

> Man, I'm going to miss this week, just one more fic left...


End file.
